Terminal tube adjustment for train connecters



Aug. 25, 1931. E. E. WORKMAN 1,820,337

1 TERMINAL TUBE ADJUSTMENT-- FOR TRAIN cormsc'rans Filed Sept. 19, 1922Fatented Aug; 25, 1 931 1 OFFICE;

'nrmsonnnwnnnWORKMANQQF vion'rnnar, QUEBEC, CANADA, AssrernoR To HIM-SELF'AND EDWARD ARTHUR ROBINSON, or MONTREALICANADA TERMINAL "riIBE'fAmusTMnN'rronrrimm coismnornns U 'App1ieation filed September 19, 1922 .1s fia'1 no. 589,145;

My invention'relates to train pipe connecters and morespecifically-relates to improved means'for limiting the forward positionof the train pipe terminals within thehead and 1 to improved meansfortrain support of'the connecter. I I a 1 The main purpose of my inventionisto provide aconnecter'that is at once adapted to easy and inexpensivemanufacture and to .dequatelymeetingtheneeds of service. I

A further purpose is to provide an adjustable clamp stop for limitingthe forward position of the terminalswithin the head.

A further purpose is to' provide reliable 5 interlocking connectionsbetween. theinterior surface of the stop and the outer surface ofthe'terminal about which 1t fits.

A further purpose isto provide the end i of the bracket with lateralpivot projections and with a rearwardlyje'xtendlng eyeiwith whichcooperate hookstructure supporting the head and a buffer sprmg andretaining bolt for pressing the head forward.

Further purposes will appear in the specs 5 [ication and in the claim. tI I I have preferred to illustrate my invention by forms which arepractical and effective but which have been selected priinarilybecausethey well illustrate the principlesof.

' my invention, I e i 1 In the drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevationa connecterprovided withmy in vention. 7

I Figure 2 is a of my invention.' I I v a Figure 3'is a section throughlin'ef3 '3 of Figure 2. Y

Figure 4 1s a sectionjsimilarlto Figure 3 Y but showing a modified form.v

Figure 5 is an enlarged section through line 55 of Figure 1. a

Figure 6 is an enlarged section through line 66, of Figure'l.

Figure 7 is a brokenperspective View showing the lower portion of thebracket. I

' In all the drawings like numbers refer to like parts; Z

I Describing my'invention in illustration A and not in limitation" andreferring to the drawings: I

section illustrating one I-form' The main features of my invention areembodied in the forward stop to limit the forward position of the trainpipe terminals and in the connection between the bracket, the'spring andthe-supporting arms for the head; a I V I iThefimproved stop isbestillustrated in' Figures 2% inclusive and I will describe this featurefirst. I 1 I The head 15 of the connector is provided with openings '16for the train pip-e terminals 17; carrying gaskets 18. The head isinward, I ly flanged near the rear of the openings, at

19, and the terminal is enlarged at its outer end 20. A springi2lsurroundlngthe ter-' minal between the enlargement and the flangepresses the term nal outwardly in order that a the gasket 18 may inake'tght'conne'ction with its mating gasket upon another head. The

length ofthe terminal."

In Figure 2,-the termlnal is shown with ja threaded portion 23 at itsouter endj for 2a having a succession of devices Which arev screwconnection to'a fitting and a por'tion I adapted for interlocking, shownin the form a of grooves and flanges adapted to mate with cession ofseparate I circumferential I grooves and flanges each complete 1nitself. I In; either 'corresponding'fiangesandgrooves within the 1stop.- These "grooves and-flanges mayfeven" 'bea cont nuousthreador,preferably; a sucevent the engaging faces of the interlockingportionsupon theoutsi'de of the terminal and the inside of the stop arepreferably substan tially perpendicular to the terminal (radial) ,inorder. that pressure upon the stop against the head in a direction axialto the terminal may have no tendency toward spreading the clamp.

If theflanges and grooves are individual, that is do not form acontinuous threadythey are made relatively smalland closetogether,

adjustments in the position of the stop being I in stepsfequal tolthedistance. between'suc- 1 cessive flanges. An advantage of this form ofinterlocking is that the stop may not possibly work loose by unscrewingalong the ter' minal.

If the interlocking flanges and grooves are interlocking threads, theclamp serves substantially as a lock-nut, since it can be made to fitvery tightly, adapted to exact setting in any desired position andlongitudinally of the terminal takes up less space than a lock-nut.Another advantage as compared to the lock-nut stop is the avoidance ofstress and wear upon individual threads, there be ing practically notendency to wear out the threads, which is by no means true withlocknuts.

In the modification of Figure 4, the outside of the terminal is providedwith longitudinal grooves or slots spaced about the circumference alongthe portion 24. of the terminal, which is threaded with a thread havingpreferably the same pitch and diameter as the thread 23.

The stop nut 22 is screwed to position and locked in place by means ofthe set screw 26 adapted to lock in any one of the grooves or slots.This set screw is preferably provided with a spring washer 27 to avoidpossibility of its working loose.

Adjustments in the position of the stop nut are in steps determined bythe pitch of the thread and the number of grooves or slots, and thesesteps may be as small as desired by making the grooves or slots sulfi-'ciently close together and the pitch of the thread sufliciently small.

It will be noted that in both forms the stop is self-contained in thatit carries its own lock to prevent moxement of the stop.

My improved connection between the bracket and the supporting arms isillustrated in Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7.

The lower portion of the bracket 28 is provided with lateral pivotprojections 29 and a rearward-1y extending eye 30 intermediate of theprojections and to the rear thereof.

The double forward yoke 31, cast integral: with the supporting arms 32,hooks over and slides and pivots on the upper and lower sides of both ofthe projections, and has a yoke portion 33 behind the bracket perforatedto surround the eye. The lower rear face of the bracket around the eyeis madeflat at 34 to receive and position the corresponding flat on thefront face 35 of the yoke.

The tie link 36 hooks in the eye and carries a cap 37 held in placeadjustably by the nut,

38. The spiral spring 39 is compressed between this cap and the yoke ofthe supporting arms, pressing this voke forward, and the mating of theforwardly directed face of the yoke and the rearwardly directed face ofthe bracket serves to position the head in its foremost position, thatis, when the cars are d ieeomieeted.

The cap 37 is forwardly flanged at 40 to position the outer end of thespring which is positioned at its inner end by the rearwardly extendingflange 41 on the back of the yoke.

Preferably the projections and the eye are cast integral with thebracket but it is, of course, evident that any or all of them may bemade separate. and removable from the bracket.

In view of my invention, modifications and variations of my invention tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art and I claim all such modifications andvariations in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is In an automatic train pipe connector, acoupling head supported from fixed train parts in position for automaticcoupling and having an opening therethrough, an inwardly projectingflange near the rear of the opening, a train pipe terminal passingthrough the opening and enlarged at its forward end to slide in theopening, a spring between the flange and the enlarged portion of theterminal forwardly pressing the terminal from the flange, a clamp stopabout the terminal pipe to the rear of the flange to limit the forwardposition of the terminal and adapted for adjustment about the terminalpipe, and members free from axial advancement along the terminal adaptedto interlock on the inside of the clamp and the outside of the terminalpipe.

E. EDWARD VORKMAN.

